New Way to Be Human is the second studio album by the band Switchfoot. It was released on March 11, 1999, under independent label re:think Records, which was distributed by Sparrow Records.[5][6] The song "Only Hope" was featured in the movie A Walk To Remember, and the tracks "New Way to Be Human", "Something More (Augustine's Confession)", and "I Turn Everything Over" received substantial play on Christian radio. The song "Let That Be Enough" was featured in the Disney television movie Model Behavior and in the television series Dawson's Creek. "Sooner or Later" appeared on the soundtrack to Elektra.
| New Way to Be Human | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Cover art by Shepard Fairey.[1] | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | March 11, 1999 | |||
| Recorded | re:think Studio | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock, indie rock | |||
| Length | 37:37 | |||
| Label | re:think | |||
| Producer | Charlie Peacock | |||
| Switchfoot chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from New Way to Be Human | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |    [2] |
| Cross Rhythms |   [3] |
| Jesus Freak Hideout | [4] |
Book
editA book of the same name has also been written by producer Charlie Peacock. The intro to the book is written by Jon Foreman, Switchfoot's lead singer and songwriter.
Lyrical philosophy
editBoth "Sooner or Later (Soren's Song)" and "Something More (Augustine's Confession)" are based upon the works of philosophers.
"Something More" is based upon a series of books, known as Confessions, that were written by Augustine of Hippo.[7]
About "Sooner or Later", Jon Foreman has said: "Sooner or later we all have to deal with the frightening reality that there is much that is wrong in the world... This is Soren's song... These are his thoughts as best as I understand them," alluding to the philosophy of Danish Christian philosopher Søren Kierkegaard. The song also references Jean-Paul Sartre's idea that men are "condemned to be free".[8]
Composition
editThe songs are alternative rock/jangle pop based. "New Way to Be Human" has two keys: E major and C Major. "New Way to be Human" has been remixed once.
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Jon Foreman, except where noted. Tracks 1, 2, and 4 were released as the album's singles
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "New Way to Be Human" | Jon Foreman, Douglas Kaine McKelvey | 3:36 |
| 2. | "Incomplete" | Jon Foreman, Tim Foreman | 4:13 |
| 3. | "Sooner or Later (Soren's Song)" | 3:58 | |
| 4. | "Company Car" | 3:13 | |
| 5. | "Let That Be Enough" | 2:38 | |
| 6. | "Something More (Augustine's Confession)" | Jon Foreman, Douglas Kaine McKelvey | 4:00 |
| 7. | "Only Hope" | 4:13 | |
| 8. | "Amy's Song" | 4:30 | |
| 9. | "I Turn Everything Over" | 3:21 | |
| 10. | "Under the Floor" (The song "Under the Floor" ends at minute 3:07. After 15 seconds of silence, at minute 3:22 an untitled, hidden song that is a brief radio jingle begins.) | 3:55 | |
| Total length: | 37:37 | ||
Personnel
edit- Switchfoot[1]
- Jon Foreman - vocals, guitar, piano, trumpet
- Chad Butler - drums, percussion
- Tim Foreman - bass, backing vocals
- Additional musicians[1]
- Tony Miracle - analog synth
- David Davidson - violin
- Bob Mason - cello
- Sam Levine - bass clarinet, flute
- Mike Haynes - trumpet
- Mark Douthit - tenor sax
- Charlie Peacock - orchestration
References
edit- ^ a b c CD Liner Notes
- ^ Allmusic review
- ^ Kirk, Trevor (June 1999). "Switchfoot - New Way To Be Human". Cross Rhythms (51).
- ^ Jesus Freak Hideout review
- ^ "New Way to Be Human - Album by Switchfoot". iTunes. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
- ^ "New Way To Be Human: Switchfoot". Retrieved March 16, 2024.
- ^ "Beauty and the Beat". June 19, 2003. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
- ^ "Twenty-Four Voices". Archived from the original on February 17, 2005. Retrieved March 16, 2024.